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Day: 6 June 2022

chemical peels
6Jun

Yes, the word is out: many celebs swear by chemical peels. Some choose not to reveal their cosmetic treatments, but others are quite open about their love for this procedure to maintain a flawless skin. Gwyneth Paltrow, Courteney Cox and Jennifer Anniston are a few who have given the thumbs up to regular peels.

Lactic acid peels are nothing new. In fact, Cleopatra used sour milk and clay to exfoliate her skin. But these days we use infinitely more scientific chemical peels to either remove the outer layer of skin or inflame the deeper skin so that the healing process will lead to renewed, refreshed skin.

Which peel?

Chemical peels are the ultimate multitaskers: providing exfoliation, skin rejuvenation and general skin tone improvement. And do note that it’s never too early or too late to start your chemical peel journey.

In your 20s and 30s, light peels, alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) peels, glycolic acid and other AHAs are great for rejuvenating the skin, as well as treating mild to moderate acne.

From age 40 upwards you might want to consider deeper peels. Trichloracetic acid or TCA peels (which have greater depth than AHAs) reduce the onset of sun damage and stimulate collagen when applied at least once a year. On the other side of the spectrum, phenol peels are reserved for deeply-damaged skin.

A chemical peel won’t erase deep wrinkles or large areas of pigmentation. Rather, it can work wonders at minimising sunspots and other discolouration, reducing fine lines, boosting your skin’s collagen production and improving elasticity.

Frequency

Chemical peels can be administered as frequently as once a month to treat acne-prone skin, or at much longer intervals from a few months to six months for ageing skin. Phenol peels are often administered only once, or with many years in between.

When deciding on the frequency of your peels, take the condition of your skin into consideration. For instance, if your skin is acne-prone, a monthly treatment might be advisable.

So be assured that chemical peels can shave years off your face. After all, celebs swear by chemical peels.

But to look youthful, you must be diligent about stripping off that top dead-cell sludge. Another bonus is that topical products such as moisturisers and serums will penetrate the fresh new skin much better.

preventing skin cancer
6Jun

Although the statistics for skin cancer prevalence are alarming, remember that preventing skin cancer starts with you.

There are three major types of skin cancer. And the most deadly, melanoma, kills about 20 people every day in the US, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Self-examination

Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common, followed by Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Both are predominantly caused by sun damage. Melanoma is also caused by the sun but can be familial too.

Although many skin cancers aren’t necessarily life threatening, they are tissue threatening. And the bad news about Melanoma is that it can metastasize to other areas of the body.

If you have rough lesions on your skin, or lesions that peel, bleed, or aren’t healing properly, see your dermatologist as soon as possible. In the case of Melanoma, check your moles. For self-examinations, apply the ABCDE method. A is for asymmetry; B is for irregular borders; C is for colour variation; D is for a diameter greater than 6 mm (the size of a pencil eraser); and E is for evolution (any change in size, shape or colour).

If you have any cause for concern, make an appointment with your dermatologist. Remember, dermatologists have more experience diagnosing skin cancer than any other doctor.

Your children

As stated in the first paragraph, preventing skin cancer starts with you. And teach your children well from an early age.

So, even though we’re in the throes of winter, don’t let them skip the daily SPF50+ sunscreen application. Also, insist that they wear long sleeves and pants, plus a wide-brimmed hat.

It’s best to keep infants out of the sun for the first six months. For unintended exposure, make sure they wear sun-protective clothing and use stroller sunshades. From the age of six months you can start applying sunscreen.

Look after yourself too

Don’t neglect your own sun-protection regimen. Seek shade between 10h00 and 16h00, wear sun-protective clothing and sunglasses with UV protection.

  • Use extra caution near water, snow and sand. These surfaces reflect the sun’s rays, thus increasing chances of sunburn.
  • Watch out for windows. While glass blocks UVB rays reasonably well, it allows UVA rays to pass through. When you’re in the car or near a window at home, remember to wear sunscreen and sun-protective clothing.
  • Don’t ever use tanning beds. UV light from tanning beds can cause skin cancer and premature skin ageing. If you absolutely must have a tan, rather use a self-tanning product. But never skip your sunscreen!

Be safe, be sure: preventing skin cancer starts with you

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